Lynchburg Reporter

Men’s Basketball Falls at Bridgewater 73-71

The Randolph men's basketball team made a midweek trip to the campus of Bridgewater College on Wednesday. The WildCats fought all the way to the end but came up short as the Eagles won 73-71.

The teams were neck and neck in the opening minutes of the first half. With the score at 14-12, BC went on a 6-0 run to go ahead 20-12 with 11:43 remaining in the period. After Randolph closed to within four points of tying the game up, the Eagles went on an 8-2 run to go up 28-18 with 8:15 showing on the clock. The WildCats responded with a 15-5 spurt to knot the contest at 33-all with 2:14 remaining. Bridgewater ended the half on a 7-2 run to go into the locker room up 40-35.

A layup and free throw by Jordan Phillips McLoyd (Johnson City, Tenn./Science Hill) to start the second half made it a one-possession game just over a minute in. Randolph matched each answer that the Eagles had as it would not let Bridgewater take over.

The WildCats found themselves trailing by six points, 72-66, with 1:19 remaining to play. The Eagle lead was cut to four points with 36 ticks left and then with six seconds left, Phillips-McLoyd was fouled on a layup and subsequently made the free throws to make it a one point contest. Bridgewater's Alec Topper was fouled and made his first free throw but missed the second as the WildCats grabbed the rebound and made their up the court. With time winding down, Phillips-McLoyd heaved a potential game-winning three-point attempt but the ball was off the mark as BC held on for the win.

"Felt like we ran out of time," said head coach Pete Hamilton. "Thought our effort was tremendous. Our activity defensively and on the glass was some of the best it's been all season. You give me Jordan taking a three at the buzzer to win it and I'll take our chances - I think it was a great look to win it and one of the best we could have gotten with 5 seconds left."

Randolph was 25-of-74 (33.8%) overall and 3-of-18 (16.7%) in three-point attempts. The WildCats were 18-of-22 (81.8%) from the charity stripe.

The WildCats controlled the boards 48-41. The 'Cats were 18-5 in second chance points and 42-36 in points in the paint.

Phillips-McLoyd led all scorers with 23 points to go with five rebounds. Hunter Verling (Lake Mary, Fla./Lake Mary) added 12 points and six rebounds. Danny Bickey (Beckley, W.V./Woodrow Wilson) scored 10 points. Cole Perry (Salisbury, N.C./Jesse Carson) was the team's leading rebounder with nine boards.

"Hunter Verling gave us a huge lift in the first half and his defensive presence was great throughout," noted Hamilton. "He helped us take advantage of their overplays on our guards and was very efficient finishing around the rim. I thought Bickey and Jordan did a great job of staying determined against a Bridgewater defense that was obviously making it a point to chase and hug them all night. They continued to cut and move and it opened up things for themselves and others." 

 Randolph returns to the hardwood next Wednesday when it hosts Hampden-Sydney. Game time from Giles Gymnasium is at 7:30 p.m.

"At the end of the day - I think we left too many points at the rim as a team," said Hamilton. "We made them pay with some solid back cuts and drives but just didn't finish enough plays around the rim. Our guys responded perfectly to the defensive scheme - we just need a few of those short ones back. I think our team has really come together since Christmas. Sometimes it's hard to see after two close losses in a row but we're close.

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